


In the Shadow of a King

by ruby_star



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 22:43:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9094009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruby_star/pseuds/ruby_star
Summary: Takes place mostly during/ after episode 11 and before episode 12."JJ's younger brother is bad at dealing with his inferiority complex" is the best way I can describe it.





	

_I wanted to watch him fall, but not like that. Not like that._

“Your brother won gold again in the Rostelecom Cup! We’re going to go to Barcelona in December for the Grand Prix Final!”  
Kaden’s little sister, Maple, squealed and hugged him tightly. “”JJ! He won! Kaden, he’s going to the GPF again! He’s gonna win gold for Canada this time!”  
“Yeah! I’m proud of him…”  
_So why am I faking this smile? Oh right— because this is just another thing I have to measure up to. The young prince in the shadow of a king… That’s King JJ, hero of Canada._  
Kaden felt an all-too familiar lump in his throat, the kind that made it hard to talk.  
_I should be happy. I am… but… I’m jealous, too._  
“We have to go to school now, Mom. See you when you get back to Vancouver.” He hung up the phone and started to walk out the door, but his sister blocked the way.  
“Kaden, you look all funny. Are you ok?”  
Kaden shrugged and nudged past her. “Don’t worry, M &M. I’m just kinda tired.”

About a month later in Spain, the Leroys and JJ’s fiancé arrived at the rink— the Grand Prix Final was here at last.  
Apparently, everyone at Kaden’s school was cheering JJ on. The ones who know his number were blowing up his phone with good-luck texts, and the ones that didn’t were still trying to get his attention. He decided to turn the phone off for the day.  
_He knows he has your support, so why do you keep talking to me? You want him, right? I’m not him…_  
Kaden’s dad handed him his ticket, putting the irritated thoughts out of his mind. “Your mom and I are going to be down with JJ before the event. You can help your sister find your seats, right?”  
Kaden nodded. “We’ll meet up with Isabella after his program, and from there we can find the rest of you.”  
“Good plan. See you later, K.”

Kaden watched the skaters warm up. He noticed Yuuri Katsuki, the Japanese skater who’d come in third at Rostelecom, and Yuri Plisetsky, the Russian skater who’d come in second. Both were incredible skaters, but JJ had beat them both. He could easily do it again. Then there was Phichit Chulanont from Thailand, Christophe Giacometti from Switzerland, and Otabek Atlin from Kazakhstan. All good skaters— JJ’s program was better, though.  
_If you keep up what you’ve been doing, JJ, you’ll really be the king…_  
_Is it strange that part of me doesn’t want that?_  
As Katsuki took to the ice, Kaden hardly paid attention. Halfway in, though, he began to notice how the skater seemed to be reacting to the pressure. He realized that Katsuki had been in the GPF last year too— ending in sixth place. His short program this year had more polish and passion, but the small mistakes in it… JJ would beat him easily.  
Kaden looked on as the next four skaters took their turns. Chulanont, who landed all his jumps and stirred up the audience, but who had only one quad. Plisetsky, a newcomer in the senior division, only a bit older than Kaden himself— a spectacular program that put him in first. Giacometti, who’d also been at GPF last year, delivering a program that, while not flawless, was nevertheless wonderful. Altin, the dark horse, who delivered a performance that earned him second.  
_Who else but JJ can blow away the crowd with the last spot? It’ll be another first place, of course._  
Kaden watched his brother take to the ice. He looked happy as usual to be skating, but looking at him on the cameras, something seemed off.  
_JJ, you’re always so confident in what you can do. But… could today’s stress be getting to you?_  
Kaden shook his head. Of course that wasn’t it. Why should today be different from any other? Now that JJ was skating, he was a king as always, and—  
_Wait._  
A triple?  
Kaden blinked. That was meant to be a quad. Could JJ have changed the composition?  
_Single?_  
No, this wasn’t right. This wasn’t like JJ at all.  
_What’s going on? I don’t understand._  
On the screen above him, Kaden watched his brother’s face for a sign of something he recognized.  
_I don’t know this JJ…_  
There was no overconfidence or happiness there, no sign of pride. The man skating on the ice looked… uncertain. Upset. Scared, even.  
_Where are you, King?_  
Suddenly, he heard that voice, the one that teased him and encouraged him, the one he both resented and loved…  
“I am the king, JJ, no one can stop me, this is who I am!”  
Before Kaden knew it, he was singing along in a voice choked with tears. He didn’t remember starting to cry.  
“Baby, just follow me, we are on top of the whole universe—“  
_That’s not just my voice, either._  
He could hear everyone singing along. So many people…  
“Now I can reach the stars, and I will show you how. I never give up, even if the night should fall, always do my best. I look in the mirror, the king smiles at me…”  
_It’s over._  
The applause was loud, but it was muted in Kaden’s ears.  
_Is he going to be okay?_  
He watched for JJ’s results, already knowing what would come.  
_86.71._  
Kaden felt like a rock had been dropped onto his chest. It was his brother’s worst score yet, and he was in dead last.  
_JJ…_  
He watched his brother’s face as the realization set in.  
_You look like you’re about to cry… wait, what is this that I’m hearing?_  
“JJ! JJ! JJ!” The crowd was chanting. “JJ! JJ! JJ!”  
JJ stood up.  
“STOP!”  
The stadium was dead silent. Kaden held his breath.  
“It’s… JJ STYLE!”  
Wild cheering erupted. Kaden couldn’t take it anymore.  
“Maple, you stay here, okay?”  
“No! JJ needs us both! I’m coming too!”  
“Well, okay! Keep up, then!”  
They ran down past the lobby, but a guard stopped them before they could get to where the rest of the family was.  
“Authorized personnel only, kids.”  
“We’re JJ’s FAMILY!” Kaden nearly screamed. “We have to see him!”  
“ID?”  
Kaden thrust his library card at him. “Come on, Maple!”  
It wasn’t long before they found their parents— minus JJ.  
“If you’re looking for your brother, he said he needed some time alone.”  
“But—“  
“He’ll be back later, Kaden. JJ just… needs a bit to get his mind off what happened.”  
_But I need to talk to him…_

Later that evening at the hotel, JJ showed up. He didn’t look as though he’d got his mind off things.  
Kaden hesitated, then went up to his brother and gave him a hug. He froze up for a second, then returned the gesture.  
“Are you okay, little brother?”  
_You start caring about how I’m doing after you’re the one needing attention, for once?_  
“I don’t really know right now… Are you okay?”  
JJ sighed. “Well, let’s just say the king’s been… thinking about how maybe he isn’t that untouchable.”  
“JJ?”  
“What is it?”  
“You aren’t perfect. It’s hard to remember that, especially when you’ve come so far— but there’s always gonna be someone who looks up to you, and they have flaws too! You can be a king and a hero, but you don’t have to… um… ” Kaden stammered. “I was gonna say more, but I kinda forgot it. But JJ! You’re always gonna be amazing! Even if you are sometimes all full of yourself, and you like to tease me and stuff, I still love you! You’re the best!"  
JJ was quiet for a bit.  
_Yeah, he’s crying a bit— but so what? I am, too._  
“Com’ere, you,” said JJ, hugging him.  
_Even if you aren’t going to win, you’re gonna be all right. You aren’t just a king. You’re human, too.  
And that’s okay._


End file.
